* In exercise of his powers conferred by regulation 3(1)(a) of the Control of Goods (Import and Export) (Commerce) Regulations
* Made by Minister of Trade & Industry, Vitumbiko Mumba on March 13, 2025 to expire on March 12, 2027
* Any person who contravenes provision of the Order commits an offence and shall be liable to penalties upon conviction
By Duncan Mlanjira
Under powers conferred by regulation 3 (1) (a) of the Control of Goods (Import and Export) (Commerce) Regulations, Minister of Trade & Industry, Vitumbiko Mumba rolled out a new Order on Thursday, March 13, banning the importation of foods and other goods that are locally produced in Malawi.
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With immediate effect until March 12, 2027 when the Order shall expire, the prohibited imported food items are maize flour; rice; meat products (sausages, bacon and cold meats); fruits & vegetables (except those that do not grow in Malawi); Irish potatoes; fresh milk.
Other food items are onions; garlic; ginger; peanut butter; honey; popcorn, table eggs and bottled water.
The imported goods banned are toothpicks; matches; plastic utensils; wooden furniture; mops and security boots.
Any person who contravenes the provision of the Control of Goods (Import and Export) (Commerce) Regulations Order, 2025 shall, upon conviction, be liable to penalties specified under Section 14 of the Act.
Malawians have a huge penchant for imported goods despite the call for Best Buy Malawian campaign that was suggested many years ago during the single party era of the Malawi Congress Party under former President, late Hastings Kamuzu Banda.
Then the campaign was to empower Malawian entrepreneurs to be innovative by locally producing goods for the market as a substitute to imported goods, which also strain the availability of forex as well a job and wealth creation.
The business sector then revived the campaign and renamed it Buy Malawian-Build Malawi that was developed in November 2009 following a presidential directive to drive consumption of locally produced goods and services.
The strategy aims at moving Malawi from a predominantly importing to an exporting economy which also answers directly to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number 8; ‘Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all’ — as well as SDG 9; ‘Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation’.
The strategy encourages the need for local industries to continue working towards improving the quality and packaging of products in order to compete with foreign products.
And while industries are doing their part, consumers are also encouraged to opt for Malawian products which are equally good in quality — as encouraged by Buymalawi.com.
In 2020, when former Minister of Trade, Sosten Gwengwe visited Shoprite, Chipiku Plus and SPAR Supermarkets in Lilongwe to appreciate their support in implementing the Buy Malawi strategy, he impressed on the shop managers and local producers’ representatives, the need to continuously work together to improve on the efforts all stakeholders are doing to ensure the strategy should bear fruits.
He had attested that the quality of some of the local products found in the supermarkets was satisfying and encouraged local producers to embrace the spirit of working together by forming associations or cooperatives in order to meet the high volumes demanded by the markets.”
Buymalawi.com reports that the Government is promoting production of quality products and services that can substitute imports under the Buy Malawi strategy, which in turn has the potential of increasing the tax base and creating jobs.
After the Minister’s visit, Imani Investments Managing Director was quoted by Buymalawi.com as saying increase in production means increased employment since they employed women and youths who receive good commission on sales.
Products by Candlex Malawi
During Buy Malawi Day at Gateway Mall in Lilongwe, another former Minister of Trade & Industry, Mark Katsonga-Phiri also called on all Malawians to shift their mindset to buying local products and services to create jobs.
Buymalawi.com reports that notable achievements include micro, small, medium and micro enterprises (MSME) order which mandates the Public Procurement & Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA) to buy at least 40% locally produced goods and services from SMEs; enhancement of Buy Malawi and the consequent job creation.
It includes increased uptake of locally made products by hotels and restaurants; intensive media campaigns which have raised awareness of the Buy Malawi and increased sales of locally made products and services.
In 2020, when celebrating 28 years of doing business on the Malawi market since 1992 — supplying poultry, pork, beef and fish — Ori Meat Products called on government to encourage the country’s supermarkets to sell more locally produced goods as a way of advancing the Buy Malawi Strategy.
The company appreciates that more customers are inclined to buy from local suppliers, such as Ori Meat Products, to support the Buy Malawi strategy while also calling for reduced taxes on locally produced goods to make them affordable to Malawians.
An unfortunate development was discovered this week when Trade Minister Mumba visited Mach Milk Ltd — the only powdered milk-producing company situated at Mpemba in Blantyre — where he was enlightened that the company was forced to pay K500,000 to Sana Cash ‘n’ Carry at Ginnery Corner to have their milk stocked on its shop’s shelves.
Mumba expressed anger at the treatment on such a small & medium enterprise (SME) company owned by locals being deliberately pulled down by those meant to promote them as off-takers.
Mumba emphasised that SME companies need support from the business system, saying if Malawi had more companies locally producing household commodities, such as Mach Milk, it will reduce imports, thus saving forex.
“They are producing very high quality powdered milk, which is the only company in the country,” Mumba said after tasting the products. “Even their yoghurt is very nice, yet shops are deliberately blocking them.”
Mumba, therefore, went straight to Sana at Ginnery Corner in person and demanded they refund the K500,000 the shop demanded from Mach Milk, which in essence is an extortion.
“I demand a refund with interest and inflation consideration,” Mumba told the management as quoted by the media. “Officers from the Competition & Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) will be here tomorrow to fine you for this discrimination and unfair treatment.”
The meeting with Sana management
The Minister warned Sana against treating local companies unfairly, saying the government will not tolerate such a tendency and he also directed his office to write Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) to immediately provide a high voltage transformer to Mach Milk Ltd.
During his tour at the company, Mach Milk Managing Director, Madalitso Phiri appraised the Minister of the challenging the business environment was for the company, that included operating with a low capacity transformer ESCOM was not interested in providing a high capacity transformer.
He also reported that Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) not exempting them on tax as directed by the President Lazarus Chakwera’s order on small & medium enterprises’ tax reduction, which Mumba responded by asking MRA to comply with the Presidential order.
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